Vending machine



Dec. 11, 1928.

C. LEA

vsmnine momma Filed m. 5. 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 127 9.1.

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C. LEA

' VENDING MACHINE Deg. 11, 1928.

5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jeri/i02 OFT/@7'ZGGL6'CL,

Filed Feb. 5. 1922 ms 97 QSJJO '/0/ 99 lay- Dec 11, 1928. 1,694,599

6. LEA

VENDING MACHINE 131%. 5. 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 r190 as 7% xx &\

I Invenio 2 Cii/afi Zea L e a,

Patented Dec. 11, 1928.

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CHARLES LEA, 013 BOSTON, IIIASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNO'R TO THE AUTOMATIC MER- CHANDIZER, INQ, OF BOSTON, MASSAGHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

VENDING MACHINE.

Application filed February My invention relates to vending machines and will be best understood from the accompanying drawings and following description of one specific embodiment thereof selected for purposes of illustration, while its scope will be particularly pointed out in the ap pended claims.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a vending machine Fig.2 isa section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective of one of the members'for dischargingmaterial from the vendin machine;

Fig. 4: isa section on the line t-l of Fig. 1;

5 section on, the line 55 of Fig. 4-. parts being omitted;

Fig. 6 is a sectiononthe line 6-6 of Fig.1;

Fin. 7 is a section on the line 7-7 of Fig. with parts broken away;

Fig. 8 is a section on the line 8-8 of Fig. 4;

9 is a section on the line 99 of Fig. 5 with parts omitted and Fig. 10 is a section on theline 1010 of Fig. 9..

In the embodiment selected for illustrating: my invention I have shown a :machine arranged for vending cylindrically shaped cans. It will be understood, however, that my invention is not limited to machines for vending cans but that it includes machines for vending other articles andthose oi a different shape.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1. 2 4t, 5, 6 and 7 of the drawings, 1 have provided a cabinet constructed to be mountedagainst a wall or the likeand in which cabinet the back, the sides, the top and the bottom are constructed preferably but not necessarily of wood.

Considering the front or the cabinet. the lower portion thereof is closed by a plate. 1, preferably of metal, which plate is secured to the bottom and sides of the cabinet in any suitable manner. The bottom edge oi": this plate is notched out to form the orifice 3 through which the'artiolesto be vended, hereinafter called cans, are removed. Above the orifice the plate is cutaway to form an open- 3, 1922. Serial No. 533,859.

ing 4, which opening conforms to and is closed by the casing 5 of the coin controlled releasing mechanism secured to the plate. Part of the material removed to providethe opening 4: is retained in the form of a strip 7, which is bent inwardly and is secured to the back of the cabinet by the screws 8. 'lheupper portion of the front of the cabinet is provided with a glass or metal plate 9 or if desired a metal plate with aglass sight in front of the central stack of cans as viewed in Fig. 1. V

The diaphragm aiiiorded by the plate 9 and a second diaphragm 11 are carried in grooves 13 formed in the side walls 15 of the cabinet and are placed in position by low ering the diaphragms through the slots .17 in the top 19 of the cabinet. The lower end of the diaphragm 11 is normally supportedin the position shown by Figs. 1. 2 and 5, this position being determined by the lengths of the grooves 13 for receiving; the diaphragm 11. The lower end of the diaphragm. 9 nor mally rests on a bar 21 extending across the frontof the cabinet in contiguous relation with the top of the plate 1. For supporting the bar 21 a heavy metal band 23 is provided which extends across the front of the cabinet and has side portions contormingtoand secured to the side walls 15. For forming a groove for receivingthe bottom of the-diaphragm 9., the band 23 extends above the top of the bar 21 and at the inner side of thebar 21 is provided a strip 25 likewise extending above the top 01 the bar 21. The band 23 the plate 1, the bar 21 and the strip 25 are all secured together by rivets 27. c

Below the strip 7 and in contact therewith I place a plate 29 which has the up-turned portions 31. The plate 29 audits upturned portions 81 are of approximately the same depth as the cabinet, while the distance between the adjacent surfaces of the tip-turned portions is that of the width of the plate 7, which construction is clearly shown by Figs. 5 and 7.

Passing through spaced holes 33 positioned adjacent the upper edges of the portions 31 of the plate 29 are the hooked ends 35 of rods 37. These rods extend through the top of the cabinet the extending portions being screw-threaded to receive nuts 38. By tightening the nuts the plate 29 will be pulled firmly against the plate 7 and thereby will be provided a substantially rigid support for the rods 37.

It will be noticed by the construction ust described that the space between the back wall of the cabinet and the diaphragm 11, and the space between the diaphragm 11 and the diaphragm 9 are each divided into a plurality of spa es by the rods 37. in banks of hoppers thus formed T have shown ans a stacked with their axes arranged horizontally. It will be noticed that l have provided. a plurality of banks of stacks or hoppers.

At spaced points along the rods 3'? T. provide cross bars 40 which are supported at opposite ends by the rods. In the tour stacks between the rods 37 I may store articles which may when necessary be removed and placed in the stacks at the remote sides of the rods 37 or when the diaphragm 9 is wholly or partly of glass use this space for display purposes.

The machine may be charged by raisin the diaphragms 9 and 11. F r facilitating the raising of the diaphragins I provide eacl with a finger hole 89, one of which is shown in Fig. 1. For preventing unauthorized tampering with the contents of the Vending machine I provide a lock 41 for the diaphragm 9, which lock is mortised into the side wall 15 while the keeper 43 of the lock engages a notch 425 in the edge of the diaphragm adjacent its lower end. The stem 4;? of the lock extends through a suitable perforation in the band 23. which hand thereby serves as an escutcheon tor the lock and prevents tampering therewith.

For holding the diaphragms in their raised position I may provide any suitable catch. Referring to. Figs. 6 and 7 l have shown for this purpose a spring wire bent to form the hooked ends 49 and tl e legs 51. The catch is so constructed that it may be secured by a screw 53 to the upper portion of one or the side walls of the cabinet and in such manner that the upper ends or" the portions51 are rigidly lifted to the side wall, while the ends of the hooked portions yieldi gly bear against the surfaces of the diaphragms. As will be obvious, when the diaphragms are raised to bring their lower ed 'es past the hooked portions of the catches said hooked portions will snap under the lower edges of the diaphragms and will thus prevent the diaphragms from descending until the diaphragms are raised slightly and the catches released.

Beneath the lower ends of the two stacks on each side of the machine I mount a rotary member which serves as a closure tor the stacks and which wh to discharge the c This member is best i stack. by Fi s. 3. It consists of a back i 55. a

c; n 'liront olate 57 and an intermediate to to. l

the plates being in the form of disks and being spaced aproximately equal distances apart by means of curved pl"iiCS 61. For securlng the plates (51 to the .s and 59., each or the latter has formed "1. shallow groove 63 into w l l i 1. l i .1 or the plates 61 are inse 1 tion soldered to the plates It will be notice-Ll by this construction that the'member trated by Fig. comprises pockets which are spaced with relation to each other both longitudinally of the member and ang'ularly thereof.

For supper the memb s described by the above paiag 11 5? of said member is prov' .th an opening while the plate carries the trunnion (35. The trunnion G i t at when the plates 61 of the memhrs or turned to the position shown at tl said figure, can will move in o afforded by the member support the stack 1 noticed that when the pla e 6 tion illustrated at the ri h e can will fall from the pockets stack will be supported by the convex $-61 of the plate.

For guiding the cans into the pocke the discharge member have shown tom of the diaphragn'i corrugations Ti and th owcr p strip bent inwardly as shown 2. while on the back wall T provic the heads of which con Jute a guide.

In the present emodiment oi my invention the two discharge meznbe are by 119.11-18 of a h an dlc 77 the exter or casing 5 of the coin co l Mounted in the is a shaft 79 carries the handle and also a shaft and parts carried thereby are biased towards thep osition shown by a torsion spring l with a through wl ostrted, which coinis recei 8! in the drum; it *ill be not d b notion that the coin may be only i rted the coin controlled mechanism when the ed me" lit) parts are in the initial position illustrated by Figs. 1 and 5 and that the handle 77 after the drum is released may be turned by the operator to its final position, whence on release by the operator it will return to its initial position.

The inner portion 89 of the shaft 79 I have shown as square in cross section and of larger diameter than the main portion oi the shaft, whereby is afforded a shoulder 91. Carried by the shattadjacent the shoulder is adisl; 93, which disk is provided at its periphery with two sets of gear teeth separaitedby plain cylindrical surfacesli". This dish forms the driving element of the Genevastop. The driven members of the Genevastop are provided by the disks 99 carried on the plates 57 of the dischargemembers. The disks 99 as clearly illustrated by Fig. 9 provided with four setsoi gear teeth 101 separated by concave portions 103. The concave portions 103 and the convex portions 9? of the disk 93 are of the sameradius in order that when the surfaces 9? and 93 are in mesh, he disk-99 will be prevented from rotation.

On the portion oi the shaft of square cross section is mounted a disk 103 held yieldingly against the disk 93 by mcansof a spring 105-, the outer endol the spring abutting a washer 107 carriedat the end of said portion. The disk 103 is slotted is'illustrated by Figs. 9 and and the material adjacent the slots bent away from the disk to form ratchet lugs 109. 'lheside oi. thedislr. 93in contact with the disk 103 and toward which side the ratchet lugs extend is milled out to provide the ratchet shoulders 111, which shoulders are engaged by the ratchet lugs when the disk 103 is rotated clockwise as viewed in Fig. 9.

To prevent retrograde movement of the cislr 93 I provide a pawl 113 in the form of a e having' a V-shaped end 115 which enagcs the teeth 95 of said disk. The opposite end portion out the wire 113 is bent. parallel to the body portion of the wire. he U- shapcd end portion of the wire thus formed cinl'iraces the stud 119 and after being adj usted to properly function with the teeth 95 is clamped in position by tightening the stud, which clamps the sides of the Ll-shaped end between the washer 121 carried by thestud and theplate 1o; the cabinet.

it will be noticed by the above described construction that with the parts in the position shown by 1 5 and 7, ifa coin is inserted to the slots to release thehandle '7, said handle may be turned to cause the rat-het lugs 108 of the disk 103 to engage the ratchet shoulders 111 of the disk 9?, which wi l cause the toothed, portion of the dis: 97 to engage the toothed oortions 101 of the risks 99 and thereby turn the discharge members. li hen the handle released the shaft will return to its initial movement under the influence of the torsion spring 83 and during lace of the can will st.

this movement the ratchet lugs rideoverthe ratchet shoulders.

The parts are so positioned that when the handle is in its initial position the curved surfaces .17 and 103 are in engagement illustrated by Fig. 7 and this prevents turning oi the discharge members in that po ition oi the handle. The two discharge members are so positioned as to bring the pockets under the same bank of stacks 130 degrees apart and the gearing is cons-tr .cted as to turn each, member degrees each time the handle is operated. From this it follows that the bottom of the several stacks will be discharged successively.

On the inner end 123 01'? the l 119 above referred to l pivot a lever fr ic-d oi a bent wire the lower end of the lever itor ling a bail 125 while the upper ends of the wire are bent each to provide a curved portion 127 situated in the paths of the cans a of one of the stacks. The collar 107 above referred to is provided with an arm 129 while the washer is held in non-rotatable relation to the shaft by any suitable construction. It will be 1 from 13 7 that the lever just described is so positioned with relation'to its fulcrum that it tends to swing towards the arm 129 by gravity and that it is prevented from so do i as long as there is a adjacent the ends 127. As indicated by .7? when the last can falls into the pocket o the d barge member the bail 125 of the lever w .1 move into the path. of the arm 129 ano. with) prevent sition. From this it resul. that'when the machine has discharged all-lmt one can a coin cannot be inserted through the slot When the cans fall from the pockets oi discharging; men'ibers they are guided d wardly by the side walls of the cabinet and the portions 31 the'plate toward the bottom of the cabinet. llo ca the cans when discharged from the discl'iai mechanism to move in front of the open '1 also to turn them on end so that they pass beneath the plate 29. which rate is spaced from the bottom of: cabin tance less than the diameter of .1 e cans, and so that they will not move away front 01 the opening, it s "ppor" of the bottom corners of a e of obliquely positioned obstri form of bars 131. As illustrated by and '7, when a cam tails from tin mechanism, the side c" the cylindric:

one oi? the bar the can in this posi ion be is; ilh in Fig. 2. The can then turn into tion a which bring" its one. opposite bar 131. the bars 131 into the tom 01"" the cabinet and s 131, I J

stops moving in front of the opening the bars at the opposite side of the machine insuring the latter.

rriip' Fig. 5, itwill he noticed that for receiving the coins inserted m The plate 7 and the plate nd mechanism in the casscribed or purposes spccihc en'ic-odin'ient oi my to he 11nd tood that I am a the inechani al details oi this that Within the spirit oi my Qc\'illii0l15 may hi made from t Withoct departing from the 15 "ention.

v lllztfrllllfi having, in combii Morality of hoppers for the articles to he d, a plurality of mechanisms opgt or articles from means 'l'or said mechnevastop-inotion- CliltlY 0 permit di said hoppers, actuating anisms com )llSlHg neoianisms to each other, anc a single opera 2. 2i vending machine having, in comhitor each hopper, a separate gear for operating i eneva-stop, the number of said sets of teeth acr of hoppers, a gear having a set of teeth and a convex element of for rotating on a plurality of discharge mechanisms eclianisms including gears connectsets of teeth separated by conorresponon ting member for said nation, a plurality of hoppers for the articles each mechanism, each having a set of a 1d concave elemen corresponding to the I Geneva-stop ie lat mentioned gear. :3. A ven mechanisms each to the other tor nts of Geneva-stop, the number to the number oi di Gencva-stop-1not1on-1neans.

to he vended, article discharge mechanism teeth separated. by a concave element of a in, e k

meshing with said s parate gears, and means sing; machine, having, in combihe articles t he vended, actuating means xhem simultaneously, one of said lb tee and of said concave a driving gear havand f teeth and a convex element of a :top meshing with the sald one oi A vending machine having, in combishalt having an oscillaa; op n notion th driving element of a r and ratchet connection 1;,(1 said element for actuelement in but one directh articles to be vended, rid hopper, and a i neva-stop meshnlving elemen and operating Q charge mechanism. 0. A'vending machine having, in combioperating shaft having an oscillatory motion, the rotary driving element oi a Geneva-stop, a pawl and ratchet connection between said shai t and said element for actuating said element in but one direction, means for n'eventing retrograde motion or said element, a hopper :t'or the articles to he vended, dischz rge mechanism for said hopper, and a rotary c rivcn element oi 1 Genevastog meshing with said did ng cl ent and opcratin said. discharge mechan 6. A vending machine lisvii in combination, an operating shaft- 1 a an oscillatory motion, the rotary driving element of a Geneva-stop, a pawl and ratchet connection between said shaft and. said element for actuating said element in but one direction, a pawl engaging the teeth oi? said element and preventing; retrograde motion thereof, a hopper for the articles to be vended, discharge mechanism for said hopper, anl a rotary driven element of a Geneva-stop meshing with said driving element and operating said discharge mechanism.

7. A vending machine having, in combination, means for maintaining stacks of articles, rotary hone stacks, said g1 tes being forned for e; discharge of articles from said staclts \rhe rotated, L gear carried by each paid gears comprising sets oi gear teetl. separated hy concave parts, a single gear for turnin t ie first mentioned gears, said single gear 1 i sets of teeth separated by convex parts meshing with said sets 01 teeth and concave )arts of said first mentioned gearu, an operating handle having a reciprocatory motion, and means causing said handle to rotate aid single gear 'when moving in one direction 8. A vending machine having, in com tion, means for maintaining a stacks of articles, a pair oi 7 c gate having parts for controllin: charge of articles from plnr" V c stacks when rotated, a gear carried by cue gate, said gears comprising sets of gear teeth separated by concave parts, the number of sets of teeth and concave elements each corresponding to the total number oi? stacks, a single gear for turning the mentioned gears, saic single gear hav ng two sets of teeth separated by two convex parts fo meshing With said sets of teeth and cocave parts of said first mentioned an operating handle having a reciprrcatory n'iotion, and means causing said handle so rotate said single gear when moving in o: direction.

9. In a vending machine, a hopper lior substantially cylindrical articles to h vendo said hopper having means for niaintaii ii said articles with their axes snhstantially horizontal, a discharge orii'i e through which articles are to be removed from the mach ne, means for permitting said articles to fall by gravity from said hopper, and means en said articles when falling to cause them to be thrown and stood on end in frontof said orifice.

10. In a vending machine, a hopper -for cylindrical articles, means tor discharging said articles, and a pair of inclined bars arranged in the path of said articles when being discharged and so located as to stand the articles on end.-

11. A vending machine having, in combination, a hopper for the articles to be vended, a rotary gate for controlling the discharge from said hopper, said gate having positions in which it is operative to discharge articles and positions in which it is inoperative to discharge articles, means including mechanism for rotating said gate step by step from one of said positions to the other, said mechanism comprising a mutilated gear having concave aeripheral portions corresponding in number to the inoperative positions of said gate and having gear teeth at opposite sides of said. concave portions, an o1 erating member, and a gear member operatively connecting said opcrating member to said mutilated gear, said member having a convex peripheral. portion for coacting with said concave portions and having gear teeth at opposi e sides of said convex; portion.

12. A vending machine having, in combination, a hopper tor the articles to be vended, a mechanism for controlling the discharge from said hopper, said mechanism having a position in which it is operative to discharge ai ticles and a position in which it is inoperative to discharge articles, means for operating said mechanism successively from one of said. positions to the other, said means comprising a mutilated gear having concave peripheral portions corresponding in number to the inoperative positions of said mechanism and having gear teeth at opposite sides of said concave port-ions, an operating member, and a gear member operatively connecting said operating member to said mutilated gear, said gear member having a convex peripheral portion for coacting with said concave portions and having gear teeth at opposite sides ol said convex portion.

13. A vending machine having, in combination, a hopper for the storage of cylindrical articles arranged with their axes substanstantially horizontal, means providing a delivery orifice for said machine, article discharging means tor causing articles from said hopper to fall toward said orifice, and

means for turning said articles on end while falling comprising a stationary part ar ranged to be struck by the falling articles.

l l. In a vending machine, a hopper for storage of cylindrical articles arranged with their axes substantially horizontal, means forming an orifice through which said -arti cles are to be moved from said machine,means for discharging said articles from said hopper and allowing them to fall toward said orifice, and means for turning said articles while falling and stanidingthem on end in front of said orifice.

15. In a vending machine, means formaintaming plurality otstacks of cylindrical articlesto be vended with theiriaxes substantially horizontal, means forming a common orifice tl'iroughwhich said-articles areto be removed from said machine, and means for discharging said articles from each of said stacks and standing said articles on end in front of said orifice.

16. In a vending machine, a hopper for cylindrical articles, means for receiving articles discharged from said hopper, means for discharging said articles from said hopper and permitting them to fall toward said first mentioned means, and a bar arranged to be in the path of the falling articles and so located as to turn said articles and stand them on end on said first mentioned means.

17. in a vending machine, a hopper for cylindrical articles, article discharge means for permitting articles to fall from said hopper, and article engaging means arranged in the path of said articles when falling, said last mentioned means being so located as first to engage the periphery ofthe article near one end thereof so as to turn and stand said articles on end.

18. In a vending machine, a hopper for cylindrical articles, article engaging means for permitting said articles to fall from said hopper, and a pair of inclined article engaging members arranged to he in the path of said articles when falling, said members being so located as to be struck successively so as to stand the articles on end.

19. A vending machine having, in combination, a hopper for the articles to be vended, a discharge mechanism for said hopper having a position in which it is operative to dis charge articles and a position in which it is inoperative to discharge articles, an operating handle movable in opposite directions, operating means for said mechanism comprising cooperating members forming the driving and driven elements of a Geneva-stop motion the locked position of which corresponds to the position of said mechanism in which it is inoperative to dis charge articles,and means actuated by succes- I sive movements of said handle in one of said directions for giving the driving element of salt Geneva-stop motion a uni-directional step by step movement, whereby said discharge n'iechanism will be intermittently operated and will be locked except when said stop motion is actuated.

20. A vending machinehaving, in combination, an operating member having a re ciprocatory motion, cooperating members forming the driving and driven elements of a Geneva-stop motion, means including a pawl and ratchet actuated by said operating member for giving said stop motion a uni-directonal step by step motion, a hopper for the articles to be vended, discharge mechanism for said hopper having a position in which it is operative to discharge articles and a posit-ion in Which it is inoperativeto discharge articles, said discharge mechanism being driven by the driven element of said Geneva-stop motion, the locked position of said Genevastop motion corresponding to that position of said discharge mechanism in which the latter is inoperative to discharge articles from the hopper.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my 15 name to this specification.

CHARLES LEA. 

